Aura.
A special power, slightly different from magic.
Unlike magic, which is considered versatile, Aura has more limited uses, such as enhancing the body or empowering weapons. But there’s one thing Aura users excel at like no other: war.
Even though mages had the advantage of large-scale firepower, Aura users dominated the wars on the continent.
Sure, mages who could drop fireballs from the sky were terrifying, but Aura users—who could move faster than sound and conquer castles and cities with just a few sword strikes—were enough to shift the tide of war.
Frankly, the outcome of wars so far was determined by how many high-level Aura users, who could be deployed as special forces, a side possessed.
That’s why Aura users were valued more than mages in wars, and naturally, key positions in the military were occupied by Aura users—or in other words, knights.
These Aura users were also divided into ranks: Expert, Master, and Grand Master.
To put it simply, a Grand Master was roughly on par with an Archmage.
So, whether it’s a Grand Master or an Archmage, they’re both incredibly rare individuals in a lifetime.
“Kyle Byron, take this. It’s a hard-earned mandragora candy.”
“Hey now, Roland! Don’t dirty the Creator’s mouth with such trivial snacks! Creator, let’s just have some popcorn instead.”
“Still eating only the specialties of those fire-wielding northerners? Tsk tsk, this is why you’re just an old debt collector.”
“At least call me a ‘light collector.’ Don’t mumble and call me a debt collector.”
Why, though?
Why are these two next to me, arguing over snacks?
Even the Water Tiger sitting next to me and Sally standing behind me are just giving me looks of awe.
I miss Adela, but she’s still avoiding me.
Holding back a sigh, I turned to the bearded old knight, whose muscles were bulging even under his clothes.
“So… former Guardian?”
“Just call me Roland. I’m just a retired old man now.”
No, sir, looking at your arms makes me want to address you respectfully.
And it’s not just Roland here alone.
“Senior, you should still maintain your dignity…”
“Headbutt.”
“Headbutt!”
“””Headbutt!!”””
Behind Roland, who was sitting on the couch, stood a line of burly Aura users in dazzling armor.
And at Roland’s single command, they all immediately put their hands behind their backs and headbutted the air without hesitation.
“Ah, Kyle Byron, this might seem a bit unfamiliar to you. This is just a minor custom among us knights—”
“A traditional absurdity, Creator.”
“…That’s a bit harsh, Olfin.”
“What can you do? Even the current Knight Commander of the royal family has to do this at a single word from you, the former Guardian.”
“Haha, we’re just tightly knit together.”
“That’s nice to hear.”
This is quite a PTSD-inducing scene.
I think I understand what Olfin is saying. So, this old knight Roland is like a former army marshal or something.
‘Most Aura users join knight orders or the military.’
Except for rare cases like Frederick, who’s more of a spare, most Aura users join knight orders or the military. Even the knights I played House Rules with were Aura users.
Naturally, hierarchy and obedience are taken for granted among Aura users. Since Aura users often hold officer-level positions in the military, they’re even more particular about rank.
And the Guardian is the highest position a soldier can achieve, directly protecting the Emperor. So, of course…
Until his retirement, he would have been their direct superior.
Not to mention, he was a Grand Master, so with just one word from him, all the sturdy knights had no choice but to bow their heads.
“Roland, if it’s not too much trouble, could you please have the knights stand up? I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable.”
“Oh, if it’s Kyle Byron asking, then of course. Everyone, stand up.”
“Stand up!”
“Ambrio, what were you trying to say earlier?”
“I wasn’t trying to say anything!”
“Good.”
Did you see that guy? He’s the knight who was at the very front during the parade when I went to the capital with my family.
I heard he’s the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights and the closest to being a Grand Master.
It suddenly dawned on me who this old knight in front of me was, and I got a little chill.
The former Guardian and Grand Master opened his mouth with a kind smile.
“So, Kyle Byron, is this enough?”
“Enough, you say…”
“I’ve gathered 15 people as per your request. The fools… I mean, the knights standing behind me, plus me, and even some acquaintances who couldn’t make it, I’ve filled the list with 15 names. Is it not enough? Tell me right away.”
“No, it’s more than enough. But may I ask one thing?”
“Ask away!”
“How did you come across my board game?”
No, seriously.
Frankly, I thought it was a joke until I saw him in person, that the knight who sent me that letter turned out to be a Grand Master.
‘So, this person sent me a letter using polite speech?’
Putting that aside.
I was dying to know how this old knight, who wanders the continent after retirement, came to play my board game, and even sent me a letter right after the release of Bang.
Even if it were a young knight full of knightly spirit, it would be one thing, but how did an old knight who can talk casually with Olfin do it?
In response to my question, Roland nodded as if it were no big deal.
“After retiring as a Guardian and wandering the continent, I found it quite lonely. When I served by the Emperor’s side, I had that brick guy and others to spar with, but among the young ones, there wasn’t anyone particularly useful.”
…Brick guy, as in the Archmage Brick Man? He fought on par with such a being?
Is it even right for a Grand Master-level powerhouse to click his tongue at the weakness of the young ones? Isn’t this like Olfin grabbing any young magician and scolding them for not being at his level?
I wasn’t the only one thinking this; the knights standing behind also had stiff expressions.
“During that lonely time, I received a letter. It was from that guy Charles.”
“…Charles? Don’t tell me it’s Grandpa Charles…?”
“Isn’t he currently serving as the head butler at the Byron estate? He was my junior back in the day.”
“………”
“I was surprised to see he was doing well. Anyway, what I received from him was your Kyle Galli… and I was quite satisfied. Even without using a sword, I could compete with the young ones.”
Because using a sword would end things too quickly.
Casually adding that, Roland reached out to the other board games on the table.
“Then, rumors started to spread. Rumors about a genius board game creator named Kyle Byron. After that, out of curiosity, I sought out more of your board games and became convinced.”
“Convinced of what?”
“That you are truly a remarkable genius. And… unfortunately, that such a genius is held back by those magicians.”
Thud.
With just a light tap of his foot.
Roland, who had made the entire office tremble, looked at Olfin on the other side.
“Isn’t that right, debt collector?”
“As expected of muscle-brained people, you don’t even remember what you just said. At least call me a light collector, can’t you even understand that much?”
“Doesn’t it bring back memories? It’s amazing how that guy, who used to go wild enough to be called a mad dog, has grown so old and frail.”
“The you I remember was also a brat who got so annoyed that you threw a punch at His Highness the Prince. Ah, that prince is now His Majesty. So that’s why you retired, huh?”
“Hahaha.”
“Hohohoho.”
“You crazy old men. If you’re going to talk, just talk. Stop spewing Aura and Mana everywhere.”
“Just the pressure alone is enough to kill me, stuck in the middle.”
“Young Master.”
[Growl.]
“…Thank you.”
Thanks to Sally’s magic and the Water Tiger’s help, I could barely breathe. It’s not like they did anything properly, just glared at each other, but the aftermath alone was suffocating.
I had seen Master Olfin’s potential in a fight between Archmages, but I also realized that Roland was a monster who didn’t fall short at all.
‘But that’s beside the point.’
“Both of you, please stop. The board game on the table is getting crushed.”
“Huh? Ah, Kyle Byron. My apologies.”
“Creator, I apologize as well.”
“Good, that’s enough.”
After carefully inspecting the board game that almost got ruined by their pressure.
For some reason, the knights standing behind Roland seemed to look at me differently.
Before, it felt like they were thinking, “We’re here because of that guy,” but now it feels like they’re scared?
‘Why are they scared of me?’
No matter how I look at it, those knights’ biceps are way scarier.
Anyway, after finishing the board game maintenance, I looked at Roland, who was stroking his beard.
“To get straight to the point, as per your letter, I will create a board game centered around knights and Aura.”
“Ooh! As expected…!!”
“However, it will be an expansion pack for Bang.”
“…An expansion pack, you say?”
“It will include the original Bang, but if you want, you can also include the expansion pack to play the game. I’ve already decided on the concept and character abilities, so all that’s left is production.”
“Hmm? Is there a problem?”
He seemed a bit disappointed by the mention of an expansion pack, but Roland nodded and asked.
A problem? Of course, there is.
“Currently, the workshops in Arkhé Magic Tower and the surrounding territories are at full capacity. If you request additional production for the expansion pack, it might be possible, but it will take a very long time.”
“Hmm……..”
“Of course, that’s assuming there’s no additional support.”
Roland came just a few days after I sent the reply.
Originally, the reply was just for show, and I planned to make the expansion pack after Bang had spread enough, which would take weeks or months.
But the person who sent the letter turned out to be an unexpectedly big shot, and they even filled the condition of 15 people way too quickly, causing a hiccup.
So.
Since it’s the expansion pack that Roland and the knights wanted, they should help out a bit, right?
“Hmm… support, you say.”
“………?”
“That might be a bit difficult.”
What? They want the board game but can’t provide support?
Compared to how they were acting just a moment ago, this suddenly seems so petty that I just blinked.
Then Olfin chimed in from the side.
“Creator, you might not know this, but you shouldn’t expect support from those ignorant guys.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well, Aura users are poor compared to magicians.”
“…Ahem!”
“What?”
Poor?
A former Guardian, a Grand Master, an asymmetrical force?
“To be precise, they’re impoverished compared to magicians. After all, most of them are soldiers, and aside from the salary they receive from the royal family, they don’t have many ways to earn money.”
“What do you mean……..”
“In the past, when there were wars, it might have been different, but in these peaceful times…”
“The Aura user is a bit of an ambiguous existence.”
“Here we have the pinnacle of that ambiguous Aura user.”
“Roland, I know you’re great. But there are five Grand Masters and eight Archmages, right? When you think about how there were more Grand Masters during the war, it really feels like a different era. Don’t you think?”
“………Tsk.”
“Well, Roland has money too. But he doesn’t have the funds to rent workshops or help mass-produce board games. The guys behind him are royal officials, so they can’t support privately.”
“So, it’s the difference between a professional soldier and a civilian businessman.”
Even if he’s a former Guardian and a Grand Master, an Aura user has no place to use that strength.
At best, there’s the northern front, but the Principality, Agni’s Magic Tower, and other Aura users are already there.
Even if he has some money, he can’t blow it all on making one board game.
……Well, still.
“It’s fine. We can get support in other ways.”
“Huh?”
“Other support……? Is there something you need besides funds? Connections are annoying, but those magic guys seem enough.”
Yeah, connections are already overflowing. If anything, we’d need funds to use another workshop, but we can’t expect that from Roland.
However, Aura users have one overwhelming advantage over magicians.
“You can just use your body.”
“………What?”
“Magicians are a bit physically weak, so that’s been a concern, but you, Roland, and the knights behind you should be more than enough. I’ll teach you how to make it, and you can divide the work.”
The physical abilities of the knights from the Byron family were already impressive, but the knights Roland brought, being Grand Masters, must be even more incredible.
Knights moving at supersonic speeds should be able to make board games quickly.
Of course, mass production would be impossible, but we could secure a decent amount.
It’s a win-win idea, and I nodded with a smile.
“……Is he always like this?”
“That’s why he can make these board games. I’ve already experienced it.”
“Really?”
“Would you believe that four Archmages came together to make not an Artifact, but a board game?”
“………I see. I underestimated Kyle Byron.”
“Roland?”
“Don’t worry, Kyle Byron. The dumb subordinates behind me will work hard to help.”
“……Maybe I should make board games instead of being a knight.”
“Embryo? What did you just say?”
“I didn’t say anything!”
Huh? Wait a second.
Where’s this grand labor force?
“Haha, of course, Roland, you’ll be making it too.”
“Wha, what?”
“You’re a Grand Master, after all. I’ll be counting on you! With a little effort, you’ll get the knight and Aura expansion pack you’ve been wanting!”
“………….”
For some reason.
It seemed like regret was flooding Roland’s eyes.
And it was definitely regret for not helping me sooner!
